Q: Every night around 9pm (and especially on nights that I work late), I get a craving for carbohydrates that seems to only go away after a bowl of cereal or some chips. Any tips on how to fight the carb craving?
A: There are several possible reasons why you tend to crave carbohydrates at night, and I’ve outlined each of these below. Often our cravings are a combination of 2 or 3 of these reasons, so experiment with each solution until you find something that works for you. And let me know in the comments if you have any solutions of your own to cut those cravings!
Reason #1: You Need Sleep, Not Chocolate
Personally, I find that I my most intense cravings are at night when I’m tired. When we are exhausted (either physically or emotionally), our bodies often have low serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter – a chemical that functions to transmit nerve impulses between brain cells. Although serotonin plays many roles in the body, it is thought to have significant influence on food intake (especially carbohydrates), mood, and sleep.
When serotonin levels are normal, they control your appetite and regulate your mood. When you are overly tired, stressed out, or depressed, your serotonin levels drop and you end up craving carbohydrates to “pick you up.” But in actuality, what you really need to do is sleep. Rest is necessary for the body to repair and recharge. You should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night when possible. If you are dealing with some emotional stress, then you should try to get in a few extra hours of sleep.
If you find it difficult to come home from work and go straight to bed (or to stay awake and not eat anything), then try drinking a cup of herbal tea. Warm tea is soothing and relaxing, and a natural appetite suppressant. Plus the wide variety of tea flavors available guarantee you’ll be able to find a few that will curb your craving. Just make sure it’s caffeine-free!
Reason #2: You Need Dinner, Not Dessert
If tea just won’t cut your cravings, then it’s possible that you’re dealing with low blood sugar rather than low serotonin levels (or a combination of the two). Waiting too long between meals causes your blood sugar levels to drop, which leads to headaches, fatigue, and carbohydrate cravings (among other symptoms). You can prevent this by eating regularly throughout the day. When you skip meals or go too long without eating, you’re more likely to eat the wrong things when you finally do sit down. I try to eat 5 or 6 “mini” meals (spaced about 2-3 hours apart), which keeps me energized, prevents that mid-day energy slump that many people experience, and keeps me from binging on carbohydrates or fatty foods late at night. So think about when you eat your meals… could you space them more evenly throughout your day? Or try eating a snack around 7 or 8pm on the nights you work late (something with protein and carbohydrates) to keep your blood sugar levels stable. I’ve posted my favorite balanced snack ideas here.
Reason #3: You Think You Need Chips To Watch TV
A third reason you could be craving those carbohydrates is simply habit. Are you used to coming home and immediately heading to the fridge? Or perhaps you get home from work and watch some TV… with a bag of chips. Are you eating because you’re hungry or because you feel like you should have chips when you watch television? These are learned behaviors that become so ingrained in our system that we don’t even realize we’re hooked (ex. movies & popcorn).
Think hard about your nighttime habits and see if you can identify any patterns in your behavior. Habits that involve eating are dangerous for both your physical and emotional health. Who are you hurting when you eat those chips? You. And you are the only one that can change your behavior. Again, try substituting herbal tea for food – it will give you something to sip on and hold in your hands until you’re ready to shut off the TV and go to bed.
Recognizing your body’s signals and the reasons behind your cravings is critical in preventing them. You work too hard at your fitness goals to let your cravings ruin all your efforts!
Read more on food cravings:
This is absolutely great advice – and how true! I have had so many similar cravings – and primarily because i have been tooo sedentary during the day, too! It’s comfort-food. One must ‘think differently’ about what comforts us for that craving. I started drinking ‘lemon water’ and it helps fight the craving for the ‘sweet’.
Thanks Janie! Lemon water is a great idea – not only does it have great digestive properties, but it’s sweetness can help cut cravings, just like you said. And when we think about “comfort food” we should also think about what these items do to our bodies – we’re really hurting ourselves when we reach out to food for solace. Great comment!
OMG! I do great all day and then in the late afternooon, evening I want carbs carbs carbs! I tend to mess up my whole day at night time. I am in school right now and sometimes the cravings are there because I have to stay up and study. Other times, they just come. I have to get through this…. Any ideas???
Hi Christi!
I know a lot of people in the same boat – it’s either the afternoons or the late nights that spark the sugar cravings. I have a couple ideas for you:
1) If you start to feel a craving coming on and you’re not sure if you’re tired, bored, or actually hungry, then reach for something you normally wouldn’t snack on (for me, this is carrot sticks… I keep them in the house but I’d have to be starving to eat them!). And this is exactly the point – if you truly are hungry, then you won’t mind eating the things you really don’t like as much.
2) Keep some diet soda or seltzer water in the house/dorm with you. When you’re feeling the need to eat something late at night, grab a soda instead. The carbonation will help you feel full and you’ll be less likely to want to eat. Just make sure it’s caffeine-free at night!
3) Buy some frozen fruit. This is one of my favorite ideas in the summertime. Frozen cherries and blackberries are my favorite but you could experiment and find what works for you. Eating a bowl of frozen fruit tastes great, has fewer calories than chocolate or chips, takes longer to eat (and therefore you eat less) because it’s still cold and icy, and contains healthy vitamins and antioxidants. Plus because the fruit is frozen, you won’t have to worry about it going bad – especially important if you live in a dorm!
I hope this helps! Thanks for reading and please continue to share your stories and questions with us!